U.S. patent number 6,856,327 [Application Number 10/207,798] was granted by the patent office on 2005-02-15 for apparatus for moving display screen of mobile computer device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Domotion Ltd.. Invention is credited to Young Geun Choi.
United States Patent |
6,856,327 |
Choi |
February 15, 2005 |
Apparatus for moving display screen of mobile computer device
Abstract
An apparatus for moving a display screen by detecting the
three-dimensional motion of the mobile computer device with
acceleration sensors is disclosed. The apparatus includes a
position detector for detecting a three-dimensional positional
change of the mobile computer device, and then producing analog
signals corresponding to the motion of the mobile computer device;
an analog/digital converter for converting the analog signals
produced by the position detector into digital signals; and a
screen controller for receiving a first display signal including
all information, and producing a second display signal including a
part of information according to the digital signals.
Inventors: |
Choi; Young Geun (Kyoungki-do,
KR) |
Assignee: |
Domotion Ltd. (Sungnam-si,
KR)
|
Family
ID: |
31186714 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/207,798 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/684;
345/157 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
1/1626 (20130101); G06F 1/1684 (20130101); G06F
2200/1637 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G09G
5/00 (20060101); G09G 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;345/684,156,158,751,963,752,157,167,7,8 ;361/683 ;341/1-9
;348/734,77,169,153,53,159,558,155 ;700/275,14,22 ;340/522 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Brier; Jeffery
Assistant Examiner: Havan; Thu-Thao
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Staas & Halsey LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for moving a display screen of a mobile computer
device comprising: a first acceleration sensor for detecting a
side-to-side movement and slant of the mobile computer device in
the side-to-side direction; a second acceleration sensor for
detecting an up-to-down movement and slant of the mobile computer
device in the up-to down direction; a first A/D converter for
converting analog signals produced by the first acceleration sensor
into a first gravitational mode signal corresponding to the slant
of the side-to-side direction of the mobile computer device and a
first acceleration digital signal corresponding to the side-to-side
movement of the mobile computer device, a second A/D converter for
converting analog signals produced by the second acceleration
sensor into a second gravitational mode signal corresponding to the
slant of the up-to-down direction of the mobile computer device,
and a second acceleration digital signal corresponding to the
up-to-down movement of the mobile computer device; a first
integrator and a third integrator for producing a first
window-moving mode signal by successively integrating the first
acceleration digital signal; a second integrator and a fourth
integrator for producing a second window-moving mode signal by
successively integrating the second acceleration digital signal;
and a screen controller for receiving a first display signal
including all information, and producing a second display signal
including a part of information according to the first and the
second gravitational mode signals or the first and the second
window-moving mode signals.
2. The apparatus for moving a display screen of a mobile computer
device according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus for moving a
display screen is installed within the mobile computer device.
3. The apparatus for moving a display screen of a mobile computer
device according to claim 2, wherein the integrating process is
carried out by a CPU or a microprocessor provided in the mobile
computer device.
4. The apparatus for moving a display screen of a mobile computer
device according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus for moving a
display screen is produced as an external device, and the apparatus
is connected to the mobile computer device.
Description
FILED OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for moving a display
screen displayed on a monitor of a mobile computer device, and more
particularly to an apparatus for moving a display screen by
detecting the three-dimensional motion of the mobile computer
device with acceleration sensors and converting the detected
signals into screen moving signals.
BACKGROUNDS OF THE INVENTION
Mobile computer devices such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance)
and small portable telecommunication devices including a cellular
phone and a PCS (Personal Communication System) have been widely
used with the developments of wireless telecommunication technology
and computer device technology. By storing information in the
devices, information can be easily and conveniently managed, and
enormous information can also be transferred to the user by the
wireless internet connections.
However, the size of display screen of the mobile computer device
is not large enough to display sufficient information stored in the
memory of the devices or transferred from the internet connection,
and only a part of information can be displayed on the monitor of
the device. Therefore, users generally move the display screen by
pressing the arrow keys equipped on the devices or by using a
separate mouse connected to the device to see the entire
information. However, it is not easy to install at least four arrow
keys on the small mobile devices to move the display screen, and
furthermore handling of such keys is cumbersome and not convenient
for users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
apparatus for conveniently and easily moving a display screen
displayed on a monitor of a mobile computer device.
It is other object of the present invention to provide an apparatus
for moving a display screen displayed on a monitor of a mobile
computer device without using arrow keys or other external devices
such as mouse.
To achieve the above object, there is provided an apparatus for
moving a display screen of a mobile computer device comprising: a
position detector for detecting a three-dimensional positional
change of the mobile computer device, and then producing analog
signals corresponding to the motion of the mobile computer device;
an analog/digital converter for converting the analog signals
produced by the position detector into digital signals; and a
screen controller for receiving a first display signal including
all information, and producing a second display signal including a
part of information according to the digital signals.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for moving a
display screen of a mobile computer device comprising: a first
acceleration sensor for detecting a side-to-side movement and slant
of the mobile computer device in the side-to-side direction; a
second acceleration sensor for detecting an up-to-down movement and
slant of the mobile computer device in the up-to-down direction; a
first A/D converter for converting analog signals produced by the
first acceleration sensor into a first gravitational mode signal
corresponding to the slant of the side-to-side direction of the
mobile computer device and a first acceleration digital signal
corresponding to the side-to-side movement of the mobile computer
device, a second A/D converter 22 for converting analog signals
produced by the second acceleration sensor into a second
gravitational mode signal corresponding to the slant of the
up-to-down direction of the mobile computer device, and a second
acceleration digital signal corresponding to the up-to-down
movement of the mobile computer device; a first integrator and a
third integrator for producing a first window-moving mode signal by
successively integrating the first acceleration digital signal; a
second integrator and a fourth integrator for producing a second
window-moving mode signal by successively integrating the second
acceleration digital signal; and a screen controller for receiving
a first display signal including all information, and producing a
second display signal including a part of information according to
the first and the second gravitational mode signals or the first
and the second window-moving mode signals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the
attendant advantages thereof, will be better understood by
reference to the following detailed description when considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for moving a display
screen displayed on a monitor of a mobile computer device according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for moving a display
screen displayed on a monitor of a mobile computer device according
to other embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram for illustrating the operation of the apparatus
working in a gravity mode according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 4 is a diagram for illustrating the operation of the apparatus
working in a window-moving mode according to an embodiment of the
present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a flow chart for illustrating the operation of the
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for moving a display
screen by detecting the three-dimensional motion of the mobile
computer device according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus for moving a display
screen according to an embodiment of the present invention
comprises a position detector 10, an analog/digital (A/D) converter
20, a first integrator 30, a second integrator 40, and a screen
controller 50.
The position detector 10 detects a three-dimensional positional
change of the mobile computer device having a memory (not shown)
storing entire information and a small display screen on which only
a part of the information is displayed, and then produces analog
signals corresponding to the motion of the mobile computer device.
In detail, the position detector 10 detects a direction of the
gravity with respect to the mobile computer device, that is, a
slant of the mobile computer device and then produces the first
analog signals corresponding to the slant of the mobile computer
device. The position detector 10 also detects the change of the
acceleration with respect to the mobile computer device, that is,
the velocity change of the movement of the mobile computer device
in at least two dimensions, and then produces the second analog
signals corresponding to the movement of the mobile computer
device. As the position detector 10, commercially available
acceleration sensor, for example, Dual axis accelerometer chip
(Domotion Co., Ltd, DXD 214) can be used. The acceleration sensor
detects a movement acceleration value as well as a gravitational
acceleration value.
The A/D converter 20 converts the first and the second analog
signals produced by the position detector 10 into the first digital
signals and acceleration digital signals, respectively. The
acceleration digital signals produced by the A/D converter 20 are
transmitted to the first and the second integrator 30, 40. The
integrators 30, 40 successively integrate the acceleration digital
signals corresponding to the velocity changes of the movement of
the mobile computer device at each direction to produce the second
digital signals. The output from the first integrator 30
corresponds to the velocity of the device, and the output from the
second integrator 40 corresponds to the moved distance
(displacement) of the device. In summary, the first digital signal
corresponds to the slant of the mobile computer device at each
direction, and the second digital signal corresponds to the moved
distance of the mobile computer device at each direction.
The first and the second digital signals are transmitted to the
screen controller 50. The screen controller 50 receives a first
display signal including all information (i.e., full screen), and
produces a second display signal including a part of information
(i.e., a part of screen) according to the first or the second
digital signals. Therefore, a part of the screen to be displayed is
determined from the full screen according to the slant or the moved
distance of the mobile computer device.
User can select the mode to move the display screen. If he chooses
a gravity mode, the screen can be moved according to the first
digital signals, i.e., the slant of the mobile computer device. For
example, if there is a small slant in the x-direction (side-to-side
direction and horizontal direction of the monitor) by the movement
of the mobile computer device, a part of the screen, which is near
apart from the center of the full screen in the x-direction, is
displayed on the monitor. On the contrary, if there is a large
slant in the x-direction, a part of the screen, which is far apart
from the center of the full screen, is displayed on the
monitor.
If he chooses a window-moving mode, the screen can be moved
according to the second digital signals, i.e., the moved distance
of the mobile computer device. For example, if there is a small
movement of the device in the x-direction, a part of the screen,
which is near apart from the center of the full screen, is
displayed on the monitor. On the contrary, if there is a large
movement of the device in the x-direction, a part of the screen,
which is far apart from the center of the full screen in the
x-direction, is displayed on the monitor. In this mode, the display
screen moves according to the moved distance of the mobile
device.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for moving a display
screen displayed on a monitor of a mobile computer device according
to other embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus shown
in FIG. 2 includes a first acceleration sensor 11 for detecting a
side-to-side (x-direction) movement of the mobile computer device,
a second acceleration sensor 12 for detecting an up-to-down
(y-direction) movement of the mobile computer device, a first A/D
converter 21 and a second A/D converter 22 each connected to the
first acceleration sensor 11 and the second acceleration sensor 12,
respectively, a first integrator 31 and a third integrator 41
connected successively to the first A/D converter 21 and a second
integrator 32 and the fourth integrator 42 connected successively
to the second A/D converter 22.
The first acceleration sensor 11 and the second acceleration sensor
12 detect the slant of the side-to-side direction and the slant of
the up-to-down direction of the mobile computer device,
respectively. The first acceleration sensor 11 and the second
acceleration sensor 12 also detect the side-to-side movement and
the up-to-down movement of the mobile computer device.
The A/D converters 21, 22 convert the analog signals produced by
the first acceleration sensor 11 and the second acceleration sensor
12 into digital signals. In detail, the first A/D converter 21
produces a first gravitational mode signal corresponding to the
slant of the side-to-side direction of the mobile computer device,
and a first acceleration digital signal corresponding to the
side-to-side movement of the mobile computer device. The second A/D
converter 22 produces a second gravitational mode signal
corresponding to the slant of the up-to-down direction of the
mobile computer device, and a second acceleration digital signal
corresponding to the up-to-down movement of the mobile computer
device.
The first acceleration digital signal is successively integrated by
the first integrator 31 and the third integrator 41 to produce a
first window-moving mode signal. The second acceleration digital
signal is successively integrated by the second integrator 32 and
the fourth integrator 42 to produce a second window-moving mode
signal.
The screen controller 50 has the function as described previously.
Namely, the screen controller 50 receives the first and the second
gravitational mode signals or the first and the second
window-moving mode signals according to the user's option, and
select and display a part of the screen on a display panel 60 from
the full screen according to the first and the second gravitational
mode signals or the first and the second window-moving mode
signals.
The operation mode in the apparatus of the present invention can be
manually set up by user or automatically set up by a program
displaying information. FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams for illustrating
the operation of the apparatus working in a gravity mode and
working in a window-moving mode, respectively. As shown in FIG. 3,
when the mobile computer device is not moving, the device can
detect the slant of the device, and move the display screen
according to the slant. As shown in FIG. 4, when the mobile
computer device is moving, the device can detect the moved distance
of the device, and move the display screen according to the moved
distance. In addition, if text information having large screen size
is displayed on the display screen, the operation mode of moving
the display screen is automatically switched to the gravitational
mode as shown in FIG. 3. If a picture or map having large screen
size is displayed on the display screen, the operation mode of
moving the display screen is automatically switched to the
window-moving mode as shown in FIG. 4. Also, it is preferable that
the apparatus according to the present invention further includes a
reset switch to display the original first display screen from the
moved display screen. The apparatus according to the present
invention can be installed within the mobile computer device or can
be produced as a separate external device and connected to the
mobile computer device with conventional connecting means.
The operation of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the
present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 5.
First, the apparatus according to the present invention is reset to
determine the original position of the display screen (S11). Then
the three-dimensional movement of the mobile computer device is
detected by the acceleration sensor (S12). Thereafter, if the
working mode of the apparatus is the gravitational mode (S13), the
slant of the apparatus is detected (S14), and the detected analog
signal is converted into the first digital signal by an A/D
converter (S15). If the working mode of the apparatus is the
window-moving mode (S16), the movements of the apparatus in
side-to-side and up-to-down directions are detected (S17), and the
detected analog signal is converted into the second digital signal
by an A/D converter (S18). The second digital signal is integrated
by the first integrator, thereby producing a signal corresponding
to the velocity of the mobile computer device (S19), which is in
turn integrated by the second integrator to produce a signal
corresponding to the moved distance of the mobile computer device
(S20). Thereafter, the screen controller produces a second display
signal including a part of information (i.e., a part of screen)
according to the first or the second digital signals from a first
display signal including all information (i.e., full screen) (S21).
Then the movement of the mobile computer device is detected (S22).
If there is a movement thereof, the operation process is returned
to the mode selection step (S13). If there is no movement of the
apparatus, the operation is completed.
In case the apparatus for moving a display screen according to the
present invention is installed within the mobile computer device,
the integration can be carried out by a CPU or a microprocessor
provided in the mobile computer device, which reduces the total
volume of the apparatus. In case the apparatus for moving a display
screen according to the present invention is produced as an
external device, the apparatus can be connected to a serial port of
the mobile computer device. In this specification, the mobile
computer devices include a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), small
portable telecommunication devices including a cellular phone and a
PCS (Personal Communication System) and other portable computer
devices.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to
certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by
those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details
may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *